A $25,000 Coachella Valley Spotlight grant will make it easier for youth to join Girl Scouts in the Coachella Valley. The grant, presented to Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council by the H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation, will open the doors of Girl Scouting to more girls, ages 5-17, by paying for program fees, books and supplies, uniform items, transportation and other expenses.
“We believe that every girl who wants to be a Girl Scout should have that opportunity, regardless of their ability to pay for supplies, transportation, field trips and other activities,” said Cynthia Breunig, President and CEO of GSSGC. “The grant from the Berger Foundation will also help us grow our award-winning Classroom to Career program in the low valley region, and expand opportunities for girls to participate in confidence-building activities and workforce readiness training.”
Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio serves a 27,000 square mile territory encompassing all of Riverside County and most of San Bernardino County. With more than 12,000 girls and 4,000 volunteers in GSSGC, nearly 2,000 girls participate in the Coachella Valley, and 645 adult valley volunteers lead troops and mentor young women to be future leaders. Thousands more are affected by Girl Scouts through the Council’s service projects, which aim to improve the communities in which the girls live.
“Girl Scouts helps girls find themselves as individuals, learn life skills, problem solve, and work in teams,” said Catharine Reed, Program Director for the H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation. “It’s wonderful that the local Girl Scout Council is looking for ways to ensure that all girls who want to participate, can, regardless of family income. We are happy to help encourage this involvement as well.”
Today’s Girl Scouts focus on G.I.R.L. – Go-getter, Innovator, Risk taker and Leader. Beyond many of the activities Girl Scouts are known for around the world, including Girl Scout camps and outdoor programming, plus the annual Cookie Program, which aims to empower girls through “learning by earning,” GSSGC also provides life-changing opportunities to visit new places and be exposed to possible vocations through its Classroom to Career college and career readiness program.
“The Classroom to Career program helps retain and attract older Girl Scout participants and offers them opportunities to explore professions that they may not consider otherwise,” said Mike Stutz, General Manager of Gulf California Broadcast Company, which owns and operates CBS Local 2.
Along with the grant, Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council was featured on CBS Local 2’s “Eye on the Desert,” in public service announcements and on the www.cbslocal2.com website throughout the month of September. For more information call 760-779-5152 or visit www.gssgc.org.